Improvement in steam-traps



vEl. L. PERKINS, 1. H. MULTN 8L C. E. SAWYER.

l Steam-Traps. No. 141,946; PatemedAugusf19,1a7s..

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. LAMSON PERKINS, JOSEPH H. MOULTON, AND CHARLES E. SAWYER, OF

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEVAWl-TRAPS.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,946, dated August19, i873; application iiled March 22, 1871. Y

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, E. LAMSON PERKINS, J. H. MoULToN, and UHAS. E.SAWYER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and VState of Massachusetts,have invented certain Improvements in Steam-Traps, of whichthe'following is a specification:

Our invention .relates to improvements in steam-traps; and consists inproviding the valve-seats with faces of wood, which we have found muchbetter adapted for making durable seats for expanding tubes than anycompressible substance known to us, as they are not inj uriouslyaffected by the action of steam.

Figure l is a plan of a portion of the expanding tube of a steam-trapwith our invention. Fig.2 is a longitudinal section through the same.Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 4 represents the woodpacking.

To enable others to construct our invention and use the same, we willproceed to describe the same in reference to the accompanying drawings,Showing the manner in which we have carried it out.

A is a portion of the brass expanding tube, to which is connected thelower one of a series of pipes connecting with the boiler, for thepassage of steam for heating and drying purposes. B is a valve orstop-cock, the plug c of which is provided with a screw-thread, by whichit may be turned in or out, so as to come in contact with the end e ofthe pipe A, 0r removed therefrom, so as to allow the escape of the ycondensed steam (water) contained within the steampipes. The end of the.pipe A passes through the stufiing-box 6 into the valve B, and is freeto slide within the same as it is lengthened or shortened by expansionor contraction. The end of the spindle tis provided with a recess, inwhich snugly ts a packing of wood, d, which forms the seat or bearing ofthe end e of the expanding pipe A. This packing of wood is formedendwise of the grain of the wood, it being circular, with a lat face.Thus the end of the grain comes in contact with the end e of the pipe A.In practice, we prefer' box-wood, being finegrained or compact fiber,and is sufficiently yielding to allow the end e of the space A to formatight joint when it is expanded sufti.

ciently to come into contact with the said packing.

It is found by actual experiment that rubber or composition packing, asheretofore employed for this purpose, after being subject to the actionof steam and expansion of the tube, after constant use for six weeks,was so worn and deteriorated as to render it useless, and requiring arenewal 5 while a wood packing constructed as above described, afterbeing subject to the same conditions and inlluences for nearly a year,was found, upon examination, to be imperceptibly worn or injured in anymanner.

Soon aftersteam is admitted to the heatingpipes it begins to condense,the water filling the lower portion ofthe pipe A, and then it becomesnecessary to draw oft' the water without any waste of steam. Toaccomplish this,

spindle t is unscrewed by turning the handwheel D, so as to withdraw theplug c, containing the wood packing d, a short distance from the end eof the pipe A, the size of the outlet thus formed being adjusted so asto prevent the water from entirely running out of the end of the pipe A,but so that it will extend as far back therein as required to preventthe escape ot' the steam.

It'- from any cause the water should run out of the end ofthe pipe A,the heat of the steam will instantly expand and lengthen it, so that itsend e will come into Contact with the wood` packing d in the end oi' theplug @,when the escape of the steam will be immediately stopped.

When the temperature is reduced the water of condensation will commenceto fill the end of the pipe A, contracting and shortening it, so thatits end b will be withdrawn from the wood packing d in the plug c, andthe water will then be free to escape through the opening F to thewaste-pipe.

By the application to the plug of the valve of a steam-trap of a woodpacking that will withstand the action of the steam, as above described,the packing d and the end of the pipe A are both prevented from beinginjured by frequent'contact with each other as the pipe expands andcontracts.

K represents the supports for the pipe A,

which are about a foot apart, more or less, throughout its entirelength. The expanding pipe A may be constructed of any length desired;in practice, We nd about eight feet sufcient for all purposes. E Erepresent the frame, composed of two pieces of hard Wood, to which arermly secured the supports K, through which the pipe A freely passes, theother end of which is firmly secured in the post L.

When once put up and adjusted they Will act automatically, and controlthe ow of water with a great degree of nicety.

panding tube A, and adjustable Wood valveseat, as described.

' E. LAMSON PERKINS.

J H. MOULTON. CHAS. E. SAWYER.

Vitnesses SYLVENUs WALKER, ROBERT F. NAYLOR.

